The reasons for inflammation of the root of the tongue can be different. Around it are some organs that, with inflammation, cause discomfort to the organ of speech.
The root of the tongue hurts: causes
The tongue can hurt for various reasons. It can be:
- viral infections;
- injuries;
- chemical burns;
- allergic reactions;
- burn injuries;
- inflammation of the salivary glands.
Identifying symptoms will help you better understand the causes of a tongue disease. For example, with angina, a viral infection affects the tonsils, the upper part of the palate and the back of the throat. Under such circumstances, the root of the tongue will hurt and cause discomfort. And it can also be associated with injuries, burns from hot foods, allergies and any other inflammation. Some diseases can occur inside the body, making itself felt by inflammation of the root of the tongue.
For example, pain in the ear also affects the area of the tongue, causing discomfort. From diseases of the organ of hearing, sialadenitis appears - inflammation of the salivary glands. At this point, saliva cannot stand out unobstructed. It accumulates in the muscles of the root of the tongue, giving the neck a swollen appearance. At first glance, you might think that a person has mumps, but it is sialadenitis.
Painful swallowing
Why does the root of the tongue hurt when swallowing? Laryngitis is another disease in which such an unpleasant symptom is observed. The disease is acute and chronic. It arises from hypothermia of the throat, from smoking and from malnutrition. Most often, this disease manifests itself in the hot season, when a person drinks cold water. From a sharp temperature drop occurs laryngitis.
Symptoms
- dry throat;
- tickle;
- the root of the tongue hurts when swallowing;
- cough;
- decrease in voice;
- temperature.
To eliminate the reason, you should limit yourself in conversations for one or two weeks. At this time, it is recommended to gargle with a decoction of chamomile, take antibiotics, do inhalation with fir oil. During this period, doctors prescribe electrophoresis, throat massage, compresses, hot foot baths with mustard or a body sauna with eucalyptus added to hot stones. And also refuse for the time of treatment from spicy dishes, from red drinks (compote, tomato juice), from cigarettes and alcohol. With mild inflammation, the malaise disappears in 14 days. In severe forms of laryngitis, treatment without surgery is not possible.
Sore throat and root of tongue
If you have a sore root and tongue, the cause may be pharyngitis. This disease occurs when smoking, drinking alcohol and when staying outdoors for a long time on a frosty day. This disease always affects the entire nasopharynx, including the root of the tongue.
Symptoms
- purulent deposits in the larynx;
- severe pain when swallowing saliva;
- fever;
- sore throat;
- swelling of the lingual root;
- the appearance of red dots on the tongue.
To avoid pharyngitis, it is necessary to drink warm milk with butter, make inhalations with aromatic oils, take vitamins of the “A” group, visit a sauna, soar your feet with mustard and put alcohol compresses on your throat. The most effective method of removing purulent plaque is to use a lugol solution to lubricate the nasopharynx. During treatment, cotton should be changed after each wipe of the affected area. It is not necessary to treat the entire affected organ with one swab.
You should also abandon spicy foods, smoking and alcohol. With mild ailment, the disease lasts an average of two weeks, with acute inflammation, cryotherapy is used.
Severe pain and discomfort when swallowing
If the root of the tongue hurts, it hurts to swallow, the cause may be not only laryngitis or pharyngitis, which we spoke about earlier. Another reason is the laryngeal edema, which manifests itself not only due to viral infections, but also in diseases of the heart, kidneys, lymph nodes, thyroid gland, as well as from chemical and mechanical trauma.
Symptoms
- it is painful to swallow saliva;
- the voice fades;
- severe laryngeal edema.
With edema, the patient is always hospitalized, as a person can suffocate if the condition worsens. During treatment, the patient is prescribed to swallow ice, apply a cold compress, put cans, mustard plasters, make inhalation and use antibiotics. And also find out the cause of throat edema. If this happened due to malaise of the kidneys or heart, then concomitant therapy is prescribed. If within two weeks there are no positive results, then the patient is prolonged with intubation until complete recovery.
In severe forms of edema, antiallergic drugs are prescribed, nasal blockade is made using novocaine, diuretics are used and the use of Prednisalon is recommended.
The root of the tongue hurts on one side
Sialadenitis is an inflammation of the glands that secrete saliva. In this case, as mentioned above, saliva accumulates, is not secreted properly. This can cause the root of the tongue to the left or right to hurt.
The causes of the disease:
- viral blood infections;
- rare toothbrushing;
- nervous tension;
- oncological disorders;
- malnutrition;
- diabetes;
- general exhaustion of the body ;
- viral, bacterial infections;
- purulent wounds on the face;
- typhoid fever;
- periodontitis.
Sometimes this disease affects people of advanced age. Due to the large number of free radicals, the body is unable to service itself, which leads to inflammation of the salivary glands. Sialadenitis is serous, purulent and gangrenous. With different forms of the disease, appropriate treatment is prescribed:
- Diet on acidic foods: lemon, sour cabbage, cranberries.
- Use antibiotics and antiseptics.
- A compress is applied to the inflamed gland, which helps stop viral reproduction, relieves edema and eliminates pain.
- Physiotherapy is prescribed.
In acute illness, antibiotics and intravenous droppers are prescribed.
Pain in the root of the tongue gives into the ear
Angina is a common disease in which pain is transmitted to the hearing organ. With inflammation of the tonsils, the infection passes to the root of the tongue. This becomes the reason that the root of the tongue hurts, gives in the ear.
Symptoms of a sore throat:
- yellow plaque;
- inflammation of the nasopharynx;
- inflammation of the palatine tonsils;
- fever.
With angina, antibiotics, vitamin C should be taken, gargle with a decoction of chamomile. And also soar your feet in hot water of 45 degrees with the addition of mustard, use an inhaler, aerosols and compresses.
With a mild illness, the disease recedes after 1 - 2 weeks. With purulent sore throat, you should more often gargle with decoctions and anti-inflammatory drugs. Such drugs can not only relieve swelling and inflammation from the throat, but also save a person from various ailments of the oral cavity.
Inflammation of the tonsils is a dangerous disease that brings discomfort not only to the root of the tongue, but to the whole body. Therefore, with chronic inflammation, doctors recommend removing the tonsils.
Chemical burn of the tongue
This happens if acetic, alkaline or sulfuric acid gets into the oral cavity. In these cases, rinse your mouth for an hour. And if a chemical burn appeared due to quicklime, then washing with water is prohibited. In this case, it is best to call an ambulance.
Allergic and herpetic stomatitis
An oral allergy is called stomatitis. It manifests itself in the form of allergic and herpetic swelling. Sometimes the tongue is covered with red spots, there is pain in the root. Also, discomfort is present during a conversation, when swallowing, there is a burning sensation, itching and dry mouth.
To avoid such a disease, you should find out what you are allergic to. It can be animals, plants or food. And also such an allergic reaction can occur after a visit to the dentist, various drugs often cause swelling of the mucosa.
Herpetic stomatitis is a side effect after herpes, a weakened immune system is not able to fight this viral infection. First, red blisters appear on the root of the tongue, then they spread to the entire organ of speech. After a while, they are filled with raspberry color, and then burst, turning into ulcers.
At this time, it is important to consult a doctor for help. At home, you should rinse your mouth with anti-infective drugs that reduce inflammation, but do not treat the disease. Here, attention should be paid not only to the virus, but also to the immune system. If you do not consult a specialist in time, then the disease will progress.
Lesion of the glossopharyngeal nerve
Why does the root of the tongue hurt? In the muscle of this organ there is a nerve that is responsible for the palatability of the food. With its inflammation, numbness of the upper part of the nasopharynx appears. It affects the language receptors, palate, pharynx, auditory tube and part of the brain. In acute inflammation, taste hallucinations appear.
Its inflammation can occur in various areas, it can be either the tip of the tongue or the brain in the temporal part.
Symptoms
- sharp, unbearable pain in the root of the tongue;
- tonsil pain;
- discomfort in the ears;
- when you click on the root of the tongue there is a pain similar to a shock.
Treatment with home remedies is impossible, you must consult a neurologist. In order not to provoke attacks, you should not talk, do not yawn, do not laugh, do not turn your head, do not eat spicy and rough food.
It is believed that such a disease manifests itself after diseases of influenza, atherosclerosis, otitis media and pharyngitis. For a full recovery, a person will need several years. During treatment, vitamins, sleeping pills, inhalations and antibiotics are prescribed. And at the last stage, novocaine is used to calm the nerve in the root of the tongue.
Scarlet fever
Scarlet fever is a viral disease that is accompanied by sore throat, discomfort in the root of the tongue, and temperature. First, the temperature rises and the throat begins to hurt, and after a while the root of the tongue and its lateral part are covered with red spots, and his body acquires a pale pink color. Symptoms are manifested through vomiting, dizziness, a rash throughout the body, starting from the inguinal sites.
During treatment, a sparing diet, bed rest, medication, strengthening immunity and physiotherapy are used. With scarlet fever, the patient should be protected from communication with other people, since the virus is able to infect others.
How to help yourself
In order not to suffer from pain in the root of the tongue, regular oral prophylaxis should be carried out. Take vitamins, rinse with infusions of decoctions and visit a doctor. When the first symptoms appear, you ask yourself which doctor to go to. Unfortunately, there is no specific doctor who could deal with diseases of the tongue. This is due to the fact that the linguistic muscle does not have its own diseases. Pain in the root of the tongue is a symptom of a certain ailment. Looking at the language, doctors have long learned to identify diseases by its appearance. In a healthy state, it has a pink color without spikes, plaque and pain in the root of the tongue. With any deviations, you should look for the cause and treat it, and the symptoms will go away with the disease!